City Council votes to put Local Option Sales Tax on ballot
Mayor Kincannon is proposing significant neighborhood investments to be funded via a ½ cent increase in the Local Option Sales Tax.
City Council will vote in June 2025 whether or not to put Local Option Sales Tax on the ballot for the November 2025 election.
If approved to be on the ballot, this will be a chance for voters to decide about the progress of Knoxville for the future.
City Council votes to exclude groceries
from new Local Option Sales Tax
Mayor Kincannon is also asking City Council to vote to exclude groceries from the new ½ cent Local Option Sales Tax in June 2025, when they vote to put the increase on the ballot.
If the voters decide in November to increase the tax, groceries will be automatically exempt from the new ½ cent Local Option Sales Tax.
Residents vote at the November Election
Should City Council vote to put this ½ cent increase in Local Option Sales Tax on the ballot, it will appear on the November 2025 ballot for voters to decide about Knoxville’s future.
A majority of voters must agree for the new ½ cent increase to go into effect. (50% +1)
Implementation Details
Should the voters decide to approve the ½ cent increase in the Local Option Sales Tax, the effective date will be March 1, 2026.
Residents and retailers will have more than three months to prepare for the increase after the ballot vote in November 2025.